Caught Between Two Worlds

Chapter 37

Tina's POV

Seconds turned into minutes, minutes stretched into days, yet my loneliness remained the same. It had been five days since Joe left and he only called on my birthday. And I hadn't stepped outside my apartment since then. My days blurred together in an endless cycle of sleep, and by evening, I would find myself sitting on the balcony, sipping vodka. The warmth of the liquor did little to chase away the cold emptiness in my chest. Drunk and miserable, I would cry myself to sleep, only to wake up and repeat the cycle.

Was I becoming a crybaby? Or worse an alcoholic?

I sighed, staring at the half-empty bottle on the table. Maybe both.

The worst part was, I had nothing to do, no distractions, no one to talk to. Trisha was out of town, off on some spontaneous getaway. Edam had taken her along on a business trip, leaving me behind without a second thought. Veronica and Noah had started dating, and between her extra jobs and relationship, she barely had time to check in. That was when the realization hit me I had an incredibly small circle of friends.

On my birthday, Trisha and Veronica insisted on celebrating. They proved themselves as true friends by showing up with cake, takeout, and a bottle of vodka. Since I didn't feel like going out, we kept it simple with dinner at my place. We celebrated, they stayed the night and then I never saw them again.

Every single one of them was busy.

The loneliness settled deeper into my bones. Monday marked the beginning of my placement at Edam's family firm. I had received a few offers from other companies, but they required extensive travel. The idea of constantly being on the move didn't appeal to me, so I settled for Edam's offer. At least it was stable.

I sighed, rubbing my temples. Enough was enough. I couldn't let myself spiral further. I had to pull myself together. If I stayed trapped in this lifeless apartment any longer, I would drown in my own misery.

Joe had only called twice since he left, both conversations painfully short. He sounded busy and distracted. I told myself not to overthink it, but deep down, I knew that was exactly why I had started drinking every night. He felt distant, slipping through my fingers like sand.

But I couldn't live like this.

Dragging myself out of bed, I crossed the room and yanked open the windows. A sharp gust of wind hit my face, making me shiver. Already? It was getting colder. We had just finished Thanksgiving, and now Christmas was creeping around the corner. The thought of the holidays made my heart ache.

My first Thanksgiving with Joe felt like a dream. But now, it seemed like a distant memory one that I was afraid would never repeat.

But then, Christmas...

I was finally going to see my family. After so long. The thought alone sent a rush of warmth through my veins, a rare flicker of excitement.

With newfound energy, I forced myself to freshen up, brushed my teeth, and made a hot cup of coffee with toast. The simple act of eating a proper breakfast felt like an accomplishment. Fueled by this small victory, I decided to clean the entire apartment.

An hour and a half later, it was spotless. My hands ached, but for the first time in days, I felt lighter like I had taken back some control. I rewarded myself by curling up on the couch with a cozy blanket and a movie. Saturday started feeling like a Saturday again.

And in the blink of an eye, Sunday arrived.

Today was my pampering day.

No sadness. No self-pity. Just me, taking care of myself.

After breakfast, I dressed up and headed out. I found a beautiful spa where I got my hair trimmed, shampooed, and conditioned. The hairdresser blow-dried and straightened it until it felt silky smooth. Then came a much-needed foot massage, followed by a perfect pedi and mani. By the time I was done, I felt refreshed like I had shed an old version of myself.

The next stop? Food.

There was a restaurant I loved that served the best Indian dishes especially the pickles. I treated myself to lamb Rogan Josh with naan and, for dessert, gulab jamun.

And guess what?

I devoured the entire plate.

By the time I got home around four in the afternoon, I was stuffed and lazily sprawled on the couch. My stomach protested as I tried to move, and I chuckled to myself. So much for self-control.

Then, a thought struck me that I still haven't picked an outfit for tomorrow.

Tomorrow was my first day of work placement, and I had absolutely no idea what to wear. Standing in front of my messy cupboard, I groaned. How was it possible to have so many clothes yet nothing to wear?

Frustrated, I grabbed my phone and Googled "office outfits." The endless options gave me inspiration. I stripped out of my dress, pulled on some comfy clothes, and got to work. I sorted everything office wear in one section, casual outfits in another, night-out looks in a different corner. By the time I was done, nearly three hours had passed.

And that was when I realized just how messy my wardrobe had been.

No wonder my life felt like a disaster, everything around me was in chaos.

Determined to stay on track, I organized my outfits for the entire week. I didn't want to just fix my wardrobe. I wanted to fix myself.

Once satisfied, I took a long, warm shower. Still full from my late lunch, I settled for a packet of chips and started a new K-drama. The cozy routine felt nice. Familiar.

By nine o'clock, I was in bed, staring at my phone.

Maybe Joe messaged me.

I refreshed my inbox.

Nothing.

Biting my lip, I typed a simple goodnight text and sent it. Then I waited.

And waited.

Every five minutes, I checked my phone, just in case I had missed the notification sound. But the screen remained blank.

No reply.

I turned onto my side, blinking back tears. My heart ached in a way that I couldn't describe. Was I the only one who missed him this much?

If he replied, I would ask for a video call. I just needed to see his face, to hear his voice. Maybe then, the loneliness wouldn't feel so crushing.

Desperate for comfort, I opened my gallery and started scrolling through our pictures. Each one held a memory, a moment frozen in time, untouched by distance or silence.

I lingered on a photo of us from a party. We looked happy. Carefree. Like nothing could come between us.

My eyes burned as I held onto that image, hoping it would somehow bring him closer to me.

Finally, my eyelids grew heavy, and sleep took over.

And in my dreams, I searched for him hoping he would be waiting for me there.

Joe's POV

I picked up my phone to call Tina but hesitated, my fingers tightening around the device. I missed her so much, but Dad's voice echoed in my ears.

"You better stop seeing that girl and focus on your career. You are going to be the CEO of our café franchise."

I sighed, setting the phone back down. Dad didn't hate Tina, but he feared I'd drop everything and chase after her to Fiji. Ever since Thanksgiving, when Tina mentioned returning to her country to run her family's business, Dad had been acting differently. He saw her as a distraction, one that would pull me away from everything he had built.

So, I lied.

I told Tina I wouldn't be coming home for Christmas because I had plans to travel to Mexico with Mr. Kline, my boss and Dad's best friend. In reality, I had no such plan. Dad wanted me to stay and work through the holidays, to learn as much as possible. I could have taken two weeks off. Mr. Kline even encouraged it, but I refused. I needed to prove myself.

Tina sent back a single sad emoji.

I felt my chest tighten. Last Christmas, I was planning how to propose to her. This Christmas, I had no idea how to tell her that our relationship might not survive.

She was trying so hard to make this work. Meanwhile, I was caught between love and duty, forced to make choices that felt like betrayals.

A sharp knock on my desk jolted me from my thoughts.

"Hey, Joe, let's go, man. We're already late!" Alex called from across the office.

I forced a smile and shut my laptop. "Yeah, coming."

Alex has been a great friend since I moved here. Leaving my old friends behind made me homesick, but he made me feel welcome. Mr. Kline had even insisted I stay at his house instead of renting a place. He said he liked having me around for business meetings, introducing me to influential people. I had already made connections with a few businessmen, and I knew this was the right place for me.

Yet, deep inside, I felt like a traitor.

As we got into Alex's car, he glanced at me. "You okay? You seem off."

I sighed. "It's just... my girlfriend wants me home for Christmas, but Dad wants me to stay and work. I don't know how to handle this."

Alex took a deep breath. "Look, bro, this is your time to learn, work, and grow. That's what you're here for. Your girl can wait. It's only six months. You can do this. Look at me, I don't have a girlfriend, and I'm working this holiday."

I stared at him, my mind churning. Six months. That's what I kept telling myself. But what if six months turned into a year? Or longer?

I nodded slowly. "Yeah, you're right. I need to make more connections in the business world."

Alex grinned. "That's what I'm talking about. Now, let's hit this party and have some fun!"

As he pulled out of the parking lot, I gazed out the window, lost in thought.

I had always wanted to be like Alex. A man with brains, money, and power. I dreamed of expanding our café empire, making it something that people would admire. A name that echoed in the industry.

But at what cost?

Tina had been my world for the past year. We had dreams, promises, and memories. But reality didn't care about love. Dad had made sure of that.

The night I dropped Tina home on Thanksgiving, I went straight to confront him.

He hadn't been angry. Just calm, calculated. "Your relationship won't work, son. She's going back after graduation. Do you really think long-distance makes sense? You'll see each other maybe once a year. That's not a relationship. That's a memory waiting to fade."

I wanted to argue, but a part of me knew he was right.

And then, he mentioned Tamara.

I had noticed how she acted differently around me, but I never paid attention. When I confronted her, she admitted Dad had been pushing for us to be together. She played along to avoid conflict, because she was secretly dating Justin and no one knows about it.

Dad had been planning my future while I was still trying to figure out my relationship with Tina.

And maybe... maybe it was time to let fate decide.

I clenched my fists.

If Tina and I were meant to be, then somehow, someday, fate would bring us back together.

For now, I had to focus.

I had a dream to chase.

Trisha's POV

"I'm not sure about you, lady, but I'm starving," I grumbled, clutching my stomach dramatically.

Tina, however, was glued to her laptop, fingers flying over the keyboard as if she were single-handedly saving the company from financial ruin. I squinted at her. How could she be so absorbed in balance sheets? Or maybe..just maybe..she was using work as a distraction. I'd seen that look in her eyes before, the kind that screamed, I'm surviving without Joe, but barely.

My stomach let out another growl, loud enough to make me wonder if I had a small monster living inside me.

"Hello?" I waved my arms in front of her. "If I drop dead in your office, my blood is on your hands."

"Just a minute," she muttered, still staring at the screen.

I narrowed my eyes. That's it. Marching over, I slammed her laptop shut.

"What the..?" she gasped. "I have to finish those balance sheets!"

"Later," I declared. "I'm starving, and look around, everyone's already on their tea break. Even the printers have gone quiet. It's a ghost town in here!"

Tina sighed, then grabbed her handbag. "Fine. But you owe me if I have to stay late because of this."

As we walked out of the office, I glanced at her. It had been two weeks since we joined Edam's company, and while I was adjusting just fine, Tina was drowning herself in work. I got it, she missed Joe. But duh, she still had us.

"Okay, real talk. Why are you working like a maniac? You're turning into a full-blown workaholic."

She gave me a look. "I love my job, and besides, if we finish early, we get extra Christmas holidays. I want to spend as much time with my family as possible. And I need to do some shopping. Extra bedding, an air mattress..."

"Whoa, breathe!" I laughed. "First, we eat. Then we talk about your never-ending to-do list."

Tina gave me a curious glance. "How did you even skip breakfast?"

"Oh, I didn't," I said smugly. "I had it in bed."

She made a face. "Ew. You're crazy."

"Thank you," I said with a dramatic bow.

After our break, we headed back to our desks. I stared at my laptop screen, but my brain was elsewhere. Tina was right. We had a lot to do. Packing. Shopping. And then... home. India.

Excitement bubbled up in my chest. I'd finally see my family again! But just as quickly, my enthusiasm crashed when a single name entered my mind: Nikhil.

Of course, he'd be there. And knowing him, he'd try to spend time with me.

I hadn't told anyone I was coming. My cousin, my bestie, was getting married, and I wanted to surprise everyone. But now, a new fear settled in my gut.

What if someone told them about Edam? Worse! what if someone took a picture of me with Nikhil and tagged me on Instagram?

My heart pounded. My palms grew clammy.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to focus on the data in front of me. But my thoughts kept spiraling. I didn't want to see Nikhil. But I had no choice.

This is just a challenge, I told myself. I'll go, attend the wedding, spend time with my family, and avoid Nikhil as much as possible.

Simple.

Right?

But then another thought hit me like a freight train.

What if Edam found out about Nikhil?

How had I never thought about this before? I'd been so worried about facing Nikhil, I hadn't even considered what would happen if Edam saw something.

Now I was stuck. Trapped between two worlds, two men, two secrets.

And sooner or later, something was going to explode.

_______________________________

"Being caught between two worlds is not just about choices; it's the fear of losing both."